Build volume improvements

20/08/2012

1)     Stripped out the hot bed (again!) in order to reposition the Y bed slider bars below the front and rear bars that tie the triangular ends together (this is to give approximately 20mm extra build height) this also required that I pack the build plate mounts so that the build plate just clears the front and rear bars that tie the bottom of the triangular ends together, this basically just puts the bed as low as it can go without fouling on anything. Also whilst I was rebuilding the build plate I repositioned the mounting bushes (lmu88 bearings in my case) more central as I had rushed this part initially not realizing the advantage of keeping everything central to the build plate, this means that I am now able to reposition my Y end stop to utilize the whole hotbed in the Y direction. (every little helps when it comes to increasing build volume a few mm can make all the difference to a part failing due to it being just slightly too large to fit in your printers build volume).

2)     Began printing parts for the Bowden extruder mods (Bowden extruders are just where you separate the hot end from the geared extruder & motor via a long PTFE tube that connects the two) Bowden extruder mods are being touted as a way of reducing mass of the X carriage and therefore increasing speed and also giving the possibility of mounting multiple hot ends, but they also have the obvious advantage of giving considerably more build height on a RepRap although this does not seem to get a mention in terms of Bowden mod advantages! Strange as I would consider it a great advantage.